It's been two months since Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews last saw game action, but the 34-year-old skated with his teammates for the first time since late January at Tuesday's morning skate. Afterwards, he got real about the health issues he's faced over the last two seasons.
“When day after day you’re just pushing through pain, it’s like, to what end?” Toews told John Dietz of the Chicago Daily Herald. “When you're young and you're playing for a Stanley Cup, everyone is playing through something, it means something, it's worthwhile, but I’m at that point where it feels like more damage is being done than is a good thing.”
Tough months for Toews
Toews won't play on Tuesday when the last place Hawks play the Dallas Stars, but he was skating unimpeded and looking back to his normal self on the ice. But as his post-skate comments confirmed, he's been nothing close to that over the last few months.
Although he says he’s feeling better, he realizes these could be his final weeks with the Blackhawks, per The Athletic's Scott Powers. He was pretty open about not knowing if he’ll play beyond this season.
“Regardless of what happens in the future this summer, it’s definitely on my mind that these could be my last few weeks here in Chicago as a Blackhawk,” Toews explained.
The three-time Stanley Cup champion said he was strongly considering sitting out the rest of the season after separating from the team after the All-Star break ended in February.
Toews could return
But he's decided to try to return for at least the last few games of the Blackhawks' season, although they are meaningless at this point. The team has eight games left, with four of them coming at the United Center.
Jonathan Toews' contract expires with the only professional team he's ever played for in July, and with Patrick Kane already gone to the New York Rangers, it wouldn't be surprising to see him either sign a short-term contract with a new team or hang them up after an excellent career.
“That's definitely very important for me to just go out there, enjoy the game, soak it in and just really appreciate everything I’ve been able to be a part of here in Chicago — and show my appreciation to the fans, as well.”
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